1st Corinthians 2

1-2You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified.

3-5I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.

6-10We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That's why we have this Scripture text: No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him.But you've seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you.

10-13The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.

14-16The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit.

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I think this is pretty amazing. I've been debating in my head just a little about what made my timing of the understanding of God's plan for me any different this time as opposed to the last time I had gone on an Encounter. Because the basic truth of it was... Before, I just didn't get it... And now, I get it. But what was it exactly that kept me from not getting it before to getting it now? Well according to this scripture, it has a lot to do with the Spirit of God moving in us and through us.

Sure, I'll be the first to admit that before, I didn't want to give up EVERYTHING to Jesus... There were just SOME things in my life that were MINE MINE MINE and I WAS GOING TO DO THEM MY OWN WAY because that's just what I was always used to doing. Bottom line, I didn't have faith that God would come through for me in those areas so I was needing to go out and fufill it myself. But if Faith really is our sixth sense, God had to have given it to me supernaturally because before this Encounter, I had none. Zip. Zero. I mean, sure I would in areas that it was OBVIOUS were going to work out, and that's not a bad thing to have faith in those areas, but what about the really difficult things? "God, when am I going to get married and have a life with someone who loves me?" "God, why can't I be known as Gypsy? That's just me. That's my lifestyle. That's all that I know." So these things began to say to me: "Well God doesn't care who you marry. So just go find someone so you can get it over with" or (and my personal favorite) "I think this IS the one I'm supposed to marry!" and of course, "Gypsy is just WHO I AM... You can't change someone's identity. If I'm not this, then what am I? Where do I belong?" So basically a lot of sweettalking myself into not NEEDING to have faith in God that he would come through. I was chasing after things myself. MY God wasn't big enough or powerful enough to fit my potential marraige or identity into his plans for me.

HORRAY for more CRAP TALK from the ENEMY!

That was sarcasm, by the way. God's really showing me that I'm in the place where I'm at spiritually, emotionally (even physically) right now because this is exactly where he's called me to be. He's doing a whole number on my emotions right now, switching around my identity so that it's now found in him and not of things of this world. I'm on this dating fast and he's been BLOWING ME AWAY... and as of last night, I now have a Spiritual Father (officially). Phil Weekley has taken me on as his youngest and seventh spiritual kid, and I couldn't be more excited. I feel as though that lid that's been over my head my whole life- an area where I'd never seen growth in myself because I haven't had a father to (supernaturally and I can't explain it) be there for me and give me the encouragement that a daughter needs to hear. I feel like that lid has been lifted off and now those areas in my life that haven't been able to be dealt with or grow can now be dealt with and grow.

But none of this is possible without God's love. Without his faith that he gives us. Without his Spirit that he's given to us, we just have to call out to him and ask for it. It was nothing physically said on the encounter that changed my heart around to where now I suddenly understand the meaning of the cross and redemption and his love. No. It was his Spirit, moving through the teachings I had heard on the Encounter that seeked ME out to get me to understand and open my spiritual eyes, and because I had already commited my full heart to the whole weekend, I was ABLE to receive what he was trying to show me and give to me. I hope this is making sense to you!

God,
You are so amazing. You blow me away every day. I thank you for your Spirit that you've blessed me with- the only reason why I understand anything about you is because of the Spirit, and yet still, you are so vast that some things I don't even bother to try and understand anymore, I just accept it from you because that's the way you are. YOU never change. Why? BECAUSE WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO CHANGE SOMETHING THAT'S ABSOLUTELY PERFECT? Bigger, stronger, faster, smarter than us mere humans. Don't forget love more. Holy Spirit, I ask that you remain with me today as I help Tracey clean. May my spirit be joyous and uncomplaining (not that I would have any reason to be- Oh wait- it's still pretty cold outside and my car still doesn't have a heater >.<) But I believe in your provision, Lord! I ask my Daddy in heaven for a new car! Nothing is too big for you, haha. I love you and I thank you for choosing me to carry out your plans. What a bigger person I am IN YOU than I would ever be on my own. Not that that's the reason for doing it. No. I do it out of love for you, and that is sincerely from the bottom of my heart. My love for you is so grand I can't even put it into puny American-English dictionary words. How much greater, then- is your love for me? And I find that fascinating! I stand amazed, over and over by you. Stay with me today. I need you. Always.

Amen.